EU sets P10.9-M aid for Luzon flood victims

Inquirer.net - Sep 19, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The European Union will allot P10.9 million in humanitarian aid for the estimated 32,000 people affected by last month’s widespread flooding in Luzon, including Metro Manila, amid the relentless monsoon rains until September. The bloc said Friday the funds worth €150,000 would support relief operations of the Philippine Red Cross in some

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Princess Diana's famous 'revenge dress' goes on show ahead of Sotheby's auction
Sep 19, 2026
Princess Diana's famous 'revenge dress' goes on show ahead of Sotheby's auction

LONDON — Revenge has rarely been so stylish. A striking black dress worn by the late Princess Diana on the day her estranged husband publicly admitted adultery is going up for auction at Sotheby’s, with a presale estimate of up to $300,000. First, the “revenge dress,” as it has become known, is going on an international tour, testament to the enduring global fascination with Diana almost 30 years after her death. The garment, which went on public display Friday at Sotheby’s in London, was worn by Diana on June 29, 1994, the broadcast date of an interview in which the then-Prince Charles acknowledged infidelity. Diana, who knew the revelation was coming, chose to wear the figure-hugging, off-the-shoulder silk dress by Greek designer Christina Stambolian for a gala at London’s Serpentine Gallery. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, said Diana chose the “beautiful and powerful outfit” as a way to seize control of her own story. “She always used fashion as a way of expression, but this time (it) was a way to communicate her personal expression of

Warren Buffett steps down as Berkshire Hathaway chairman
Sep 19, 2026
Warren Buffett steps down as Berkshire Hathaway chairman

WASHINGTON — Influential U.S. billionaire investor Warren Buffett stepped down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate announced Friday. The news brings to an end the revered investor's more than half a century of running the group, which he turned into a financial behemoth. Buffett's resignation is "effective immediately," although he will remain a member of the board of directors as chairman emeritus, Berkshire Hathaway said in a statement. Buffett's son Howard Buffett will take over as chairman, the statement added. The 96-year-old had announced plans last year to retire from leading the business group. Berkshire Hathaway, a former small textile company, has grown over the years into a gigantic conglomerate under Buffett's leadership, and is now worth over $1 trillion on Wall Street -- a first for an American group outside the tech sector. Today, his conglomerate owns dozens of businesses, from Duracell batteries to U.S. insurer Geico, and shares in carefully selected companies, from Coca-Cola to Bank of America. "Father Time always wins. He has, however, been generous with

Global rate-hike cycle in view as central banks take on inflation
Sep 19, 2026
Global rate-hike cycle in view as central banks take on inflation

FRANKFURT — The prospect of a new global interest rate-tightening cycle is coming into view as some of the world's top central banks raise rates and signal more may be needed to tame inflation fuelled by the Iran war. Key rates are already much higher than the rock-bottom levels from the last hiking cycle that began in 2022. But central bankers are under market pressure to show that they are prepared to raise them further to tame inflation expectations and rein in long-term bond yields at multidecade highs. The Bank of Japan became the latest big central bank to tighten on Friday, following rate increases by the Federal Reserve two days before and the European Central Bank last week. The Bank of England left rates unchanged this week but flagged that inflation pressures could require further action. "Our policy phase has changed," BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda said as the bank signalled it was prepared to keep pushing up borrowing costs. The moves, while formally independent of each other, reflect a shared concern among policymakers that higher oil and gas costs resulting from the Iran war ra

Korea's limited Hormuz role may not satisfy Trump: expert
Sep 19, 2026
Korea's limited Hormuz role may not satisfy Trump: expert

SEATTLE — President Lee Jae Myung’s proposal to expand South Korea’s maritime security role in the Strait of Hormuz while ruling out involvement in the war represents a “realistic and constructive” contribution, but may not be enough to satisfy U.S. President Donald Trump, a U.S. expert said. Scott Snyder, president and CEO of the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) and a longtime scholar of South Korea-U.S. alliance and security issues, said Lee’s approach is consistent with how South Korea has responded to similar U.S. requests in the past. “Something along those lines represents a realistic and constructive offer from South Korea, but by President Trump’s logic such a limited contribution may not pass muster,” Snyder told The Korea Times. Lee said Friday that South Korea would not deploy troops or military assets in a way that would involve the country in the war, while confirming that Seoul is considering strengthening the role of the Cheonghae Unit to protect Korean commercial vessels, oil shipping routes and citizens. Snyder noted that South Korea responded

Wall St mixed as benchmark Treasury yields reach 5%, oil takes a pause
Sep 19, 2026
Wall St mixed as benchmark Treasury yields reach 5%, oil takes a pause

NEW YORK — Wall Street was mixed on Friday as benchmark U.S. Treasury yields topped 5 percent, and crude prices reversed earlier gains but remained above $100 per barrel, keeping inflation worries front and center. Investors approached the end of a week that was essentially split in two: first, restless anticipation in the days before the U.S. Federal Reserve's widely expected interest rate hike, and then the aftermath of that decision. A semiconductor rally helped the Nasdaq evade the broader selloff, which pulled the S&P 500 and the Dow marginally lower. The S&P 500 is on track to end the session with a weekly loss, while the tech-laden Nasdaq is on course to end nominally higher than last Friday's close. The blue-chip Dow is headed for its biggest weekly percentage decline since March. Inflation concerns remained prominent as crude prices stayed above $100 per barrel, but they paused their upward climb after China, at the request of Saudi Arabia, asked Iran to limit attacks by Houthi rebels on Saudi oil infrastructure. Soaring oil prices have sent diesel prices to record levels, whic

Trump extends push for $100,000 H-1B visas by another year
Sep 19, 2026
Trump extends push for $100,000 H-1B visas by another year

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has extended an executive order that would impose a fee of $100,000 for H-1B non-immigrant visas by another year, the White House said on Friday. U.S. employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers can use the federal government's H-1B visa program for a fee, allowing tech and other professionals from abroad to work in the United States for a few years. Trump, who has pursued an aggressive immigration crackdown, has criticized the program and wants to permanently raise the fee from between $2,000 and $5,000 to at least $100,000, though the attempt has faced legal challenges. A Boston-based appeals court is reviewing a June decision by a federal judge who deemed the higher fee imposed by the Trump administration illegal and blocked the government from collecting it. Another court is considering whether a judge properly rejected a challenge to the fee by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest U.S. business lobbying group. Trump's initial order for a fee hike, first released in September 2025, was set to expire this month. It did not apply to

US Treasury's Bessent to discuss AI, rare earths with China's He, source says
Sep 19, 2026
US Treasury's Bessent to discuss AI, rare earths with China's He, source says

WASHINGTON — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent plans to discuss AI, trade, rare earths and economic issues when he meets with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York City this weekend, according to a source familiar with his plans. The discussions are significant because the U.S. and China are the two major forces driving development of advanced AI tools and the global adoption of the technology. Rare earths play a crucial role in the manufacturing of technology. Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and He will meet on Sunday in New York ahead of a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24 in Washington, Greer's office said in a statement. "The Trump Administration will continue to pursue balanced trade with China by monitoring the implementation of recent commitments, optimizing trade in non-sensitive goods, and improving market access for American farmers, manufacturers, and workers," Greer said in the statement. Bessent said in a separate statement that he expects the discussions to cover "both open- and closed-weig

US-Iran War Live Updates: US Spends $43.6 Billion On Iran War, Over 60% Goes To Bombs, Missiles
Sep 19, 2026
US-Iran War Live Updates: US Spends $43.6 Billion On Iran War, Over 60% Goes To Bombs, Missiles

Trump says the Iran war will end soon as Yemen fighting intensifies, Iran mobilises volunteers and US missile stocks face growing strain.

US Tightens H-1B Visa Rules, Probes Layoffs and Extends $100,000 Employer Fee
Sep 19, 2026
US Tightens H-1B Visa Rules, Probes Layoffs and Extends $100,000 Employer Fee

US Tightens H-1B Visa Rules, Probes Layoffs and Extends $100,000 Employer Fee

North Korea says nuclear status 'irreversible' after UN atomic agency rebuke
Sep 19, 2026
North Korea says nuclear status 'irreversible' after UN atomic agency rebuke

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, accused the International Atomic Energy Agency on Saturday of double standards after it adopted a resolution criticizing Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

‘They Spy On Us, We Spy On Them’: Trump On China Ahead Of Xi Jinping’s US Visit Next Week
Sep 19, 2026
‘They Spy On Us, We Spy On Them’: Trump On China Ahead Of Xi Jinping’s US Visit Next Week

The meeting will be the second between Trump and Xi this year. The two leaders are seeking stability in a relationship under pressure from disagreements over trade, Taiwan, Iran.

Trump renews $1,00,000 fee on H-1B visas, tightens scrutiny
Sep 19, 2026
Trump renews $1,00,000 fee on H-1B visas, tightens scrutiny

The order sets a 30-day deadline for the Secretary of Labour, acting through the Wage and Hour Division, to begin reviewing data from previously submitted labour condition applications

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